Washboard.



No. 643,733 Patented Feb. 20, I900;

' .1. T. SARGENT & P. J. JOEOKEN.

' WASHBOARD.

(Application filed Dec. 18, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3 FIE.I.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES T. SARGENT AND-PETER J. J OECKEN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, AS- SIGNORS TO THE AMERICAN WASHBOARD COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WASHBOARD.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 643,733, dated February 20, 1960.

Application filed December 13, 1898. Serial No. 699,126. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JAMES T. SARGENT and PETEn J. JoEoKEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Washboards, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in washboards, and has forits object the formation of the frame-i. e. the side bars and headpiece-of metal tubes and the brand-board integral with the roughened sheet forming therubbing-face.

In general terms the invention consists in the construction and combination substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevationof our improved washboard, a portion of one of the side bars or legs being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, the plane of section being indicated by the line II II, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modified construction of the washboard. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the side bars. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are sectional detail views illustrating modifications in the manner of connecting the side bars and headpiece and reinforcing the joint between said parts; and Fig. 8 is a section on the line VIII VIII, Fig. 6.

In the practice of our invention the side bars 1 and headpiece 2 are formed by tubes of aluminium or any other suitable metal, and the rubbing portion 3 and brand-board 4: are formed from a single sheet of aluminium, zinc, or other suitable metal, the rubbing portion of the sheet being corrugated or otherwise roughened in any manner known in the art. The side bars are grooved for a portion of their length for the reception of the side edges of the sheet forming the brandboard and rubbing-faces. The headpiece is similarly grooved for the reception of the upper edge of the brand-board. The grooves in the side bars and headpiece are formed by bending in a portion of the wall of the tubes forming such parts, so that the walls of the grooves are continuous or imperiorate, thereby preventing the entrance of soapy dirty water into the interior of the tubes. The adjoining ends of the side bars and headpiece are preferably beveled, so as to form a miter-joint, and are held in proper relation to each other by the ends of a bar 5, of wood or other suitable material, which is arranged within the headpiece and has its ends projecting into the side bars, as shown in Fig. 5.

The several parts of the washboard are held together by rods 6 and 7, the former arranged Within a groove in bar 5 and having its ends projecting through the side bars. The rod 7 is passed through the side bars at points in line with the lower end of the rubbing portion 3, which is folded around said rod, as shown in Fig. 2. It is preferred to form a head 8 on one end of the rods 6 and. 7 and threads on the opposite ends, so that the side bars can be drawn tightly against the ends of the headpiece and the edges of the brandboard and rubbing portion by nuts 9, which are locked on the rods by upsetting the projecting ends of the rods.

.The soap-rests 10 are formed by thin sheets washboard and are provided with flanges 11,

secured to the brand-board by rivets passing through the flanges and the brand-board, as shown in Fig. 2.

The protector 12 is formed from a thin sheet of aluminium or other metal and is movably connected to the washboard by straps l3, surrounding the headpiece andriveted to the protector. In order to render the protector more rigid, a flange 14 may be formed along its inner edge, said flange being preferably bent or curved to fit the headpiece. It will be observed that the ends of the protector project sufficiently far over the side bars as to be supported thereby in operative position.

Plugs 15, of wood or other suitable material, are placed in the lower ends of the side bars to form supports and prevent distortion of the tubes.

As shown in Fig. 3, the side bars and headpiece are formed integral with each other. In such case only the lower connecting-rod is employed. If desired, the adjoining ends of the headpiece and side bars may be held in proper relation by cast angle-pieces 16, the arms of which project into the adjoining ends of said parts, as shown in Fig. 6, or the arms of the angle-piece may be made with an external diameter equal to that of the tubes, except at their ends, which are reduced to fit into the adjoining ends of the side bars and headpiece, as shown in Fig. 7. While it is preferred to form the side bars and headpiece of independent sections, as described, they may be formed by a continuous tube of aluminium or other metal, as shown in Fig. 3, said tube being grooved either before or after bending for the reception of the edges of the brand-board and rubbing portion.

It is characteristic of our improvement that while the frame is made hollow, thereby reducing the weight thereof, its construction is such that water is prevented from entering the interior of the tubes of the frame, where it might be held and soon produce foul odors.

No claim is made herein to the subject-matter specifically claimed in applications Serial Nos. 704,658 and 704,650, filed by us February 2, 1899.

Ve claim herein as our invention- 1. In a washboard, the combination of tubular side bars and headpiece provided with grooves extending longitudinally thereof and formed by bending or swaging in portions of the tubes forming the side bars and headpiece, a brand-board and a rubbing portion formed of metal and having their edges supported in the grooves in the side bars and headpiece, substantially as set forth.

2. In a washboard, the combination of tubular side bars and headpiece provided with grooves extending longitudinally thereof and portion having their edges arranged in said grooves, a bar arranged within the headpiece and having its ends projecting into and engaging the upper ends of the side bars and rods for holding the several parts in operative relation to each other, substantially as set forth.

4. In a washboard, the combination of tubular side bars and headpiece provided with grooves formed by bending in portions of the tubes constituting the side bars and headpiece, a metallic brand-board and rubbing portion formed integral with each other and having their edges supported in said grooves and a soap-supporting ledge secured in proper relation to the rubbing portion, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

JAMES T. SARGENT. PETER J. JOECKEN.

Witnesses:

J. M. GORHAM, GEO. II. HASTINGS. 

